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Classical Music for Aficionados

I would like to start a thread, similar to Orpheus’ jazz site, for lovers of classical music.
I will list some of my favorite recordings, CDs as well as LP’s. While good sound is not a prime requisite, it will be a consideration.
  Classical music lovers please feel free to add to my lists.
Discussion of musical and recording issues will be welcome.

I’ll start with a list of CDs.  Records to follow in a later post.

Berlioz: Symphonie Fantastique.  Chesky  — Royal Phil. Orch.  Freccia, conductor.
Mahler:  Des Knaben Wunderhorn.  Vanguard Classics — Vienna Festival Orch. Prohaska, conductor.
Prokofiev:  Scythian Suite et. al.  DG  — Chicago Symphony  Abbado, conductor.
Brahms: Symphony #1.  Chesky — London Symph. Orch.  Horenstein, conductor.
Stravinsky: L’Histoire du Soldat. HDTT — Ars Nova.  Mandell, conductor.
Rachmaninoff: Symphonic Dances. Analogue Productions. — Dallas Symph Orch. Johanos, cond.
Respighi: Roman Festivals et. al. Chesky — Royal Phil. Orch. Freccia, conductor.

All of the above happen to be great sounding recordings, but, as I said, sonics is not a prerequisite.


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mahler123
3,441 posts
 
Jcazador

I heard Ormandy conduct the Philadelphians in the Berlioz Requiem
in Ann Arbor in the late seventies.  I was unfamiliar with the piece.  My seat was in the balcony and boy was I surprised when the guys sitting two rows in front of me dressed in tuxedos took out their horns and proceeded to blow the roof off the place!
jcazador
417 posts
 
Mahler, what a nice surprise!
I heard Philadelphia Orchestra once, in Philadelphia, Thanksgiving concert, 1960.  Tchaikovsky violin concerto was part of the program, featuring Nathan Milstein.In the last movement, Milstein's bow began shedding, and whenever he had a second, he would reach over with his left hand and strip the loose ends.  The first violinist stood next to him and offered his bow, Milstein rejected the offer and proceeded.  When the piece ended, the crowd erupted in applause, and Milstein was so excited that he reached up to Ormandy (on his pedestal) and nearly dragged him over, as Ormandy was somewhat impaired (hips? maybe).  The crowd gasped, and then resumed applause.Remember it like yesterday, that was 60 years ago.
jim204
881 posts
 
@schubert
Len , I listened to the choir and yes it was a very refined and smooth sound. Brings back a whole lot of memories when my sister used to sing in the Arran choir back in the sixties and I used to go to their rehersals.

jim204
881 posts
 
@jcazador     Jeremy i used to love Nathan Milstein and back when I used vinyl I had the main violin concertos and the Bach Sonatas and Partitas and I just loved him. You are talking about the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and the last time I heard it in person was up in Glasgow and it was going to be Ida Haendel playing it. Unfortunately Haendel was ill that night and she was going to be replaced by someone called Nigel Kennedy. Well we sat back and out rolled this little boy to play this tiger of a concerto and all we knew about him at the time was he was a student at the Menuhin School. He dully launched into the work and astonished us with his prowess for a boy he was certainly some player. I am really saddened by what has happened to him over the years because it seems that he squandered his talent but I suppose that is what burnout does to us no matter what you are good at. So sad.
jcazador
417 posts
 
Konstantin Scherbakov
Been listening to his Shostakovich preludes, Liszt and Lyapunov Transcendental Etudes, and now his Rachmaninov, mostly especially the
Morceaux de fantaisie (5), for piano, Op. 3
and
Variations on a Theme of Chopin, for piano, Op. 22 .
As good as it gets.
Here is a review (or two):
https://www.amazon.com/Rachmaninov-Sonata-Variations-Morceaux-Fantaisie/dp/B06Y18QWFY


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